Emory wins patient safety award | Health

ATLANTA -- Emory Healthcare has won a statewide patient safety award from the Partnership for Health and Accountability.

Emory's project, "Oral Care with Chlorhexidine Gluconate: Does it Reduce Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia?" won third place in the Infection Prevention and Control category of the PHA's Quality and Patient Safety Awards.

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"Infection prevention is a priority of hospitals statewide," Georgia Hospital Association president Joseph Parker said in a statement. "We applaud Emory Healthcare for its leadership and dedication in this area and its commitment to providing the best and safest care possible for its patients."

Through its award-winning project, Emory reduced its number of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) cases from 2.86 per 1,000 ventilator days to 1.86 per 1,000 days. They did so by using chlorhexidine gluconate, a mouthwash that reduces bacteria in patients' mouths.

Emory Healthcare has hospitals and facilities in Atlanta, Johns Creek, Smyrna and Tucker; St. Joseph's Hospital is also part of the Emory system. Learn more at emoryhealthcare.org.